It’s festival time and that means this week there’s not just one but two opportunities to listen to great jazz at the Western Hotel.
St Ives Jazz Club is presenting the Nicholas Meier World Group (pictured above) this evening (Tuesday), with The Jazz Defenders in town on Thursday.
Doors open for each session at 6.30pm with the music getting under way at 7.30pm. Both shows cost £20 and links for tickets are here.
UK-based guitarist Nicolas Meier has carved a reputation out as one of the world’s most original and uniquely talented guitarists.
Drawing from a love of Turkish, Eastern, and Middle Eastern music, Flamenco, Tango, and more — all mixed with jazz — Meier’s versatility and musical fluency extends well beyond that. So much so that his talents drew the attention of rock guitar legend Jeff Beck, who made Nicolas a mainstay in The Jeff Beck Group, carrying him on two world tours during the course of the last several years.
Led by one of the UK’s most formidable jazz pianists, George Cooper, The Jazz Defenders (pictured above) are a group born from a deep love of Blue Note jazz, drawing on a wealth of inspiration to craft their own raw and vibrant compositions.
Having played several shows at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, as well as many other prestigious venues in the UK, they continue to electrify audiences with their energy and virtuosity.
As The Jazz Defenders carry on distinctly ‘defending’ the legacy of some of the classic hard bop greats such as Horace Silver, Lee Morgan and Art Blakey, they begin to evolve their modern soul jazz slant to combine solid grooves and catchy horn lines with a collaborative and comprehensive sound, fusing soul, jazz, hip hop, soundtrack and groove into a masterful union that leaves audiences mesmerised. The result is an enthrallingly unique sound that is as danceable as it is listenable.
